Manufacture of artificial stone



(No Model.) W. H. HOOPES.

MANUFACTURE 0F ARTIFICIAL STONE. I No. 255,992. Patented Apr. 4,1882..

y@ @QOMMM' @im @M UNITED STATES VRamarri* OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. HOOPES, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MANUFACTURIE 'OF ARTIFICIAL STONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,992, dated April 4, 1882. Application filed August 12, 1881. Renewed March 14,1882. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WM. H. HOOPES, of Baltimore city, in the county of Baltimore, and in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture ot' Artificial Stone; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a perspective view ot' my improved key stone or block, and Fig.2 is a vertical transverse section of a panel between two girders, showing my method of applying artificial stone.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each ofthe figures.

The object of my invention is to lessen the expense and labor heretofore required in manufacturing and applying artificial stone to panels between girders or beams; and it consists principally in the method ot' forming panels between beams or girders by placing in position a central block or keystone and filling the space between the same and each girder with artitcial stone in a plastic state, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

Itconsisrs, further, in a keystone or keyblock provided upon its sides with grooves or ribs for engagement with the adjacent matcrial, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

In the application ot' my method I place beneath two girders,A, a suitable center or mold board, B, which has in reverse the form ofthe panel to be produced, and properly support said center from beneath to prevent it from sagging under the weight of the material to,

be placed upon its upper side. I next place centrally upon the center or mold board a key stone, C, previouslyformed from artilcial stone, and then proceed to till the spaces between its sides and the gil-ders A with artificial stonein a plastic state, I), care being taken to ll every portion of said spaces and to leave no im perfect places. The plastic material is now permitted to harden, and after such result has been accomplished the support is removed from beneath, when it will be found that the panel produced is sold,homogeneous,and far stronger than would have been possible had the material been formed into blocks before being placed in position. The work of forming said panel is much less than when constructed in the usual manner, and a material saving in time and expense is effected.

In order that the union between the keyblock C and the abutting material D may be strong and perfect, the sides of the former are provided with one or more grooves or ribs, c, which extend lengthwise, as shown in Fig. 2, by which construction all possibility ofthe movement of said part is avoided.

If desired, the key-block C and the filling D at each side ot' the same may be provided with horizontal longitudinal openings fo'r the purpose oflessening the weight, in which event the openingsd within said tilting may be formed by means of suitable cores, which are placed in position before said filling, and are withdrawn after the latter has partly or entirely hardened.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of\ my invention, what I claim as new 1sl. I he method of forming panels between bea-ms or girders by placing in position a cen` tral block or keystone and filling the space between the same and each girder with artificial stone in a plastic state, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

2. A keystone or keyblock provided upon its sides with grooves or ribs for engagement with the adjacent material, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of July, 1881.

WM. H. HOOPES. Witnesses GEO. S. PRINDLE, HENRY O. HAZARD. 

